Warehouse-truck.



R. S. BERGSATHBRP WAREHOUSE TRUCK.

APPLVIUATION FILED OUT 18 190 Patented Apr. 18 1911.

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E. SLBERGSATHER.

WAREHOUSE TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED DOT. 1a, 1909.

.Patented Apr. 18,1911.

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RASMU'S S. BERGSA'I'HER, OF N ORTHWOOD, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJACOB M. BERGSA'IHER, 0F NORTHVOOD, IOWA.

WAREHOUSE-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 18, 1909.Serial No.

Patented Apr. 18, 1911. 523,182.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAsMUs S. Beno- SATHER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Northwood, in the county of Worth and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Varehouse- Trucks;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in warehouse trucks.

One object of the invention is to provide a truck of this characterhaving gripping arms adapted to be engaged with and to hold objects onthe truck and which may be folded down to an inoperative position whenthe truck is to be used in the ordinary manner.

Another object is to provide a truck having a folding nose piece adaptedto be swung into and out of operative position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, aswill be more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved truck with the gripping devices and the nose of the truckarranged in inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a similar view with thegripping devices and the nose of the truck in operative position. Fig. 3is a bottom plan view of the truck. Fig. 1 is a side view with thegripping devices and nose in an operative position. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. (3 is a detaillongitudinal section on the line 66 of Fig. 3. Fig. is a cross sectionalview of the same parts on the line 77 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a detailcross section on the line 88 of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a detail perspectiveview of one of the gripping arms and its right angular operating shaft,showing these parts separated. Fig. 10 is a similar view of a modifiedform of the parts shown in Fig. 9, wherein the gripping arm and shaftare formed solid or in one piece.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, 1 denotes the side bars ofthe truck which are connected together by curved cross bars 2 and 3, andby an intermediate bar 4. The side bars are provided with the usualhandles 5. The cross bars 2 and 1 are connected together by longitudinalbrace bars 6, which form part of the bed of the truck. The cross bar 3is provided on its 0pposite ends with teeth 7 which serve to aid inholding objects on the truck. On the ends of the cross bar 3 are alsoformed upwardly projecting bearing plates 8 which are secured to theupper edges of the side bars 1, adjacent to their lower ends and in saidbearing plates is pivotally mounted the nose piece 9 of the truck, saidnose piece being adapted to be folded inwardly between the bars 1, to aninoperative position or to be swung outwardly into engagement with thelower cross bar and in operative position for use in the usual manner. Journaled in suitable bearings 10, on the under side of the side bars 1,below the plates 8, is an axle 11, on the ends of which are mounted thesupporting wheels 12. On the ends of the intermediate cross bar 4, areformed bearings 13, in which are revol'ubly mounted right angular griper operating shafts 14, on the free ends 0 which are loosely mountedgripping arms 15, which, when in an operative position, project at rightangles to the free ends of the shafts 14 and parallel to the portion ofthe shafts which is journalcd in the bearings 13. Each of the grippingarms 15, comprises a tubular head 16, which is engaged with the freeends of the shafts 14, and in opposite sides of the heads, adjacent toone end are formed transverse slots 17, having at one end ofl'setnotches 18. In the free end of each of the gripper shafts 14, isarranged a stop pin 19, which is adapted to engage the slots 17, andnotches 18 to hold the arms 15 in their operative or inoperativepositions, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. lVhen thegripping arms 15 are folded inwardly across the outer side of the truck,as shown in Fig. 1, the stop pins 19, will be in engagement with theslots 17. l/Vhen said gripping arms are swung outwardly to an operativeposition, the pins 19 will be engaged by the notches 18 of the slots,thereby holding the arms in an extended or operative position. The armsare held with the pins 19 in engagement with the notches by a coilspring 20 arranged be tween the inner end of the heads 16, and a pin21., as shown. By means of the springs 20, the gripping arms will beforced outwardly so that when turned or swung to an operative the slotswill be automatically engaged with the stop pins 19, thereby holding thegripping arms in their operative position. The gripping edges of thearms 15 are provided with a double series of teeth 22, whereby said armsare adapted to take a firm grip on the objects with which they areengaged.

Secured to the journaled ends of the griper shafts are crank arms 23, tothe inner ends of which are pivotally connected operating links 2 1 and25. The link 25, is extended to form an adjusting bar 26, in one edge ofwhich is formed a series of locking notches 27 The free end of theadjusting bar 26 is bent at right angles to form a handle 28. Theadjusting bar 26 is held in sliding engagement with a gripper operatinglever 29 by means of a guide plate 30, having on its opposite edgesfianges 31, which form a guide passage through which the adjusting baris adapted to slide. In the plate 30 is formed a vertically disposedslot 32, having an annular ofiset notch 33, and said slotted and notchedportion of the plate is adapted to be loosely engaged with a stop bolt34, arranged in the operating lever 29,

as shown.

When it is desired to adjust the gripping arms toward or from theopposite sides of the truck the adjusting bar is operated in onedirection or the other, thus causing the links 24 and 25, to operate thecrank arms 23, thereby turning the grip-per shafts inwardly or outwardlyuntil the gripping arms are in the desired osition, at which time one ofthe notches 2 in the adjusting bar is slipped into engagement with thestop bolt 34k, in which position the adjusting bar is locked by theguide plate 30, which at this time has its slotted portion engaging thestop bolt while one of the flanged edges of the plate engages theopposite edge of the adjusting bar, thereby holding said bar intoengagement with the bolt. When it is desired to release the adjustingbar, it is necessary to slide the gripping plate upon the bar until. thenotched portion of the slot is opposite the locking bolt, at which timethe guide plate, together with the adjusting bar, may be moved laterallyand the adjusting bar thus disengaged from the stop bolt, whereby saidbar is permitted to move in either direction to again adjust thegripping arms.

The operating lever 29, is pivotally connected at one end to one of theside bars 1 of the truck and is provided at its opposite end with afixed pawl 35, which is adapted to be engaged with the ratchet 36, of asegmental rack bar 37, secured to and spaced a suitable distance belowthe lower edge of the opposite side bar, as shown. Pivotally mounted onthe handle end of the lever 29, below the pawl 35, is a small releasinglever 38, the outer end of which is adapted to engage with position, thenotched portion of the flat portion of the rackbar 37, thereby forcingthe pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth, thus permitting theoperating lever to be swung on its pivotal point to operate the grippingarms in the manner described. By thus constructing the adj usting andoperating mechanism of the gripping devices, they may be quicklyadjusted to the proper distance apart for engaging the object to becarried by the truck and when it is desired to release or disengage thearms from the object, the operating lever may be quickly released fromthe rack bar and actuated to swing the gripping arms out of engagementwith the object.

While the gripping arms 15 are preferably pivotally mounted on theiroperating shafts to permit the arms to be folded in-' wardly, it isobvious that I may, if desired, form said arms and shafts integral asshown in Fig. 10 of the drawings. By pivotally mounting the nose pieceof the truck in the manner described, said nose piece may be quicklyswung back between the side bars and the truck and into engagement withthe axle when said nose piece interferes with the carrying of any objecton the truck.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without reuiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the'principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1, In a truck of thecharacter described, a pair of pivotally mounted gripper shafts, springcontrolled gripping arms loosely mounted on said shafts adapted to befolded to inoperative or operative positions, means to lock said arms inoperative position, crank arms fixed on the ends of said shafts, linksconnected to said arms, an adjusting bar con.- nected to said links, apivotally mounted operating lever, means to adj ustably secure saidgripper adjusting bar to said operating lever, and means to lock saidlever when operated to engage the gripping arms with the objects carriedby the truck.

2. In a truck of the character described, a pair of pivotally mountedgripper operating shafts, spring controlled gripping arms looselymounted on said shafts whereby said arms may be folded to operative andinoperative positions, means to lock the arms in an operative position,crank arms rigidly secured to said gripper operating shafts, a pivotallymounted operating lever, a gripper adjusting bar having formed therein aseries of locking notches, links to connect said I bar to said crankarms, a lockin bolt arranged in said operating lever and adapted to beengaged by the locking notches in said adjusting bar, a guide platearranged on said locking bolt andengaged with said adjusting bar,whereby the latter may be locked into engagement with the locking boltin one of the notches of said operating lever.

3. In a warehouse truck, a pair of side bars, a series of cross bars toconnect said side bars together, bearings formed on one of said crossbars, gripper operating shafts pivotally mounted in said bearings,gripper arms carried by said shafts, crank arms secured to said shafts,an operating lever pivotally mounted on one of said side bars, means toadjustably connect said crank arms with said operating lever, wherebysaid gripping arms are held in adjusted positions, a rack bar secured tothe truck, a pawl arranged on the free end of said operating lever andadapted to engage the teeth of said rack bar, whereby the lever is heldin position after operating said gripping devices, and a releasln levercarried by said operating lever to disengage said pawl from the teeth ofsaid rack bar.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit nesses.

RASMUS S. BERGSATHER. Witnesses E. D. ECKERT, L. G. GILPIN.

M Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

